Water heater



E. W. BANNON June 16, 1942.

WATER HEATER Filed Sept. 8, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jllll INVENTOR. 144 BA /v/vo/v [ow/1 20 5M ATTQ EY.

June 16, 1942. w BANNON WATER HEATER Filed Sept. 8, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y J WM m W m W A w W m M a" MN}. w M U nziim NW QT F VN W m ,/w u m E v a. a L Q m m m [L r\ m a June 16, 1 942. w, BANNOJN WATER HEATER Filed Sept. 8,

1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. [om/20 W. BA/v/vo/v A'ITORN EY.

Patented June 16, 1942 res rreu'r OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a water heater.

An object of the invention is to provide an efficient water heater which has been specially designed for utilizing exhaust steam for heating the boiler feed water.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel type of water heater having a steam chamber in which oil is separated from the exhaust steam; a condensing chamber wherein the scale forming elements are precipitated from the water and in which chamber the water is brought into intimate contact with the steam to condense the steam, and a storage chamber wherein the water is stored for boiler use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means in the water heater for deaera-ting the water to thus remove the free oxygen therefrom and thus reducing corrosion and pitting of the tubes and shell of the boiler.

The invention also embodies a novel type of tray more specifically hereinafter described.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining a substantial amount of heated water in the storage chamber of the boiler.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrange ment of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the apparatus partly in section.

Figure 2 shows an end view of the forward end thereof, partly in section.

Figure 3 shows a vertical, sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.

Figure 4 shows a'sectional view line 3- 8 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a sectional view, taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 3. v

Figure 6 shows a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 5-6 of Figure 3, and

Figure 7 shows a fragmentary, sectional view of the steam battles.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates the casing which is elliptical in horizontal, cross-section. Referring more particularly to the Figures 3 and e. exhaust steam is admitted into the heater by means of the inlet tube 2 which extends into the steam chamber 3. This steam chamber is formed by the hemispherical shell positioned longitudinally in the taken on the g heater, and the horizontal partition 5 connected thereto and extending across the casing. The steam is released from the steam chamber 3 through the port 6 in the partition 5 at the rear end of the heater. The steam then circulates around the ba-flie trays in the upper chamber 1 and thence out the vent Ia to the atmosphere. The horizontal partition 5 divides the easing into two chambers, an upper or condensing chamber and a lower or storage chamber.

Water is sprayed into the upper chamber I from the nozzle 8 downwardly onto the baffle trays 9, 9. These trays are arranged in tiers, and each tray comprises a bottom I0 and an upstanding rim II therearound. As more particularly shown in Figures 3 and '7, each tray is divided by an upstanding weir I2 into two sections, the bottom Illa of only one of said sections being perforated. The trays are set one above the other with the perforated sections staggered so that water sprayed from the nozzle 8 will fall in the upper tray filling the unperforated section and overflowing over the weir I2 into the perforated section IEla and falling on through into an unperforated section of the baffle tray which is immediately below. It can thereby be seen that water passing over the trays will be maintained in a thin sheet on each tray, but will be broken up in passing from tray to tray and thus agitated so that there will be an intimate mixing of steam vapor in the upper chamber with the water. As shown in Figures 3 and 4 upwardly and outwardly diverging side plates I3, I3, and end plate ,I4 are connected to the side margins and one endof the upmost baflle tray so that steam from the upper chamber I must travel through the perforations in said bafile tray, before reaching the vent Ia.

The hot water which has flowed over the baffles, or trays, will flow through the outer vertical channel I5, and through the port IS in the inner wall thereof and on into the inner vertical channel I1 and over the weir I3 into the lower water storage chamber I9.

The lower, or storage chamber I9 before referred to, is inthe lower portion of the casing I, and is defined by the casing I, transverse parti tion 5 and hemispherical shell 4. Extending upwardly into the lower portion of the lower chamber i9 and terminating slightly abovev the casing is the outlet line .28 through which the heated water is drawn off and .delivered to the. boiler.

Also connected into the lower part of the lower chamber I9 is the. sediment drain line 2| which is controlled by a suitable valve 22. An overflow pipe 23 extends up into the upper chamber 1 through the vertical channel' I5. This overflow line is formed with a trap 24 therein and is provided to relieve excess water.

It can be seen that the steam chamber 3 is jacketed on the lower side by the hot water in the lower chamber l9, which water will slightly cool the steam coming into the water heater through the inlet tube 2. It is contemplated that exhaust steam from a steam engine will be used to heat the water, which steam will have some vaporized lubricants carried therein, The cooling of the steam will cause these lubricants to condense and settle to the bottom of the steam chamber. A drain pipe 25 is connected into the hemispherical shell 4 through which the collected lubricant may be drained from the steam chamber. The drain pipe 25 has a trap 25a formed therein so that steam will not escape through the pipe.

As more particularly shown in Figures 1 and 2 cold water will be pumped into the nozzle 8 through the conduit 26 by means of a conventional steam pump 21.

Steam for operating the pump 21 will be delivered through the inlet conduit 29 which is controlled by the valve 28. Actuating the valve 28 is an arm 30 pivotally connected to a crank 3| which extends through a stufling box 32 in the casing l into the storage chamber IS. The other end of the crank is connected to a float 33 which moves in the float guide 34 mounted in the heater and whose upper end is closed. Leading from the float guide 34 is an equalizing conduit 35 which terminates in the vertical channel l5. Therefore, the float 33 will rise and fall in accordance with the rise and fall of the level of the heated water in the storage chamber 19 operating the valve 28 which controls the steam end of the pump 21 to thereby maintain the water level constant in the chamber. As steam is allowed to pass through the heater at all times, condensation of the steam may cause the fluid level to rise in the chamber l9 even though the pump is not operating; however, the overflow pipe 23 will drain the excessive amount of water so that the heater will not become flooded. Disclosed in Figure 3 the upper end of the overflow pipe 23 is below the Weir 36 adjacent the port 6 so that the separating chamber 3 cannot become flooded.

The vertical channels l5 and I! may be drained by the pipe 31 which has a suitable valve 38 connected therein. All of the drain pipes 2|,

24, and 37 are connected into the drain manifold,

40 which has a discharge line 39 leading therefrom.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5 a deflector plate 4| is positioned above the spray nozzle 8 so that steam flowing out of the vent 7a will not carry the sprayed water with it. I

In operation cold water is taken from a suitable source of supply, by the pump and is sprayed by the perforated nozzle pipe 8 over the trays. As the water travels back and forth along the trays it will be retained in the unperforated ends of the trays at a temperature of approximately 210 F. and the scale forming impurities in the water will settle out and form scale on the trays thus freeing the water of said impurities. From time to time the trays may be removed and cleaned, a removable door being provided at the end of the casing for that purpose as shown in Figure 2.

Sand and other detritus will settle down in the channels I5, I! and may be drained off from time to time through the drain pipe 31, which communicates with both of said channels, by opening the valve 38 thus relieving the water to be furnished to the boiler from such detritus. This is very desirable for otherwise the mud, sand and other detritus would collect around the stay bolts of the boiler, settle in the water legs and over the crown sheet causing overheating of the boiler.

The invention results in great fuel economy for the reason that the exhaust steam contains a high percentage of heat units which are utilized in the heater in preheating the water before it enters the boiler. This is very important for the reason that less fuel will be required in the boiler furnace thus greatly reducing the boiler repairs required.

The drawings and description are illustrative merely while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A water heater comprising a casing having a condensing chamber, a steam chamber beneath and connected with the condensing chamber and a water storage chamber beneath the steam chamber and connected with the condensing chamber, an exhaust steam pipe entering the steam chamber, a tier of trays in the condensing chamber, means for showering water over the tier of trays, means for draining said water into the storage chamber and a discharge water line leading from the storage chamber.

2. A water heater comprising a casing having a steam chamber therein, a steam line entering said chamber, said heater having a condensing chamber provided with an inlet from the steam chamber and also having a water storage chamber beneath the steam chamber, a discharge line leading from the storage chamber, a drain leading from the steam chamber, channels through which water may pass from the condensing chamber into the storage chamber and means for intimately mingling inflowing water with steam entering the condensing chamber from the steam chamber.

3. A water heater comprising a casing having a steam chamber therein provided with a drain outlet and an inlet for exhaust steam, said heater having a condensing chamber above the steam chamber provided with an inlet for steam into the condensing chamber and a steam outlet leading from said condensing chamber, said heater having a water storage chamber adjacent the steam chamber, a discharge line leading from the storage chamber, an overflow pipe leading from the condensing chamber, a vertical channel connecting the condensing chamber with the storage chamber, a drain line communicating with said channel, means for delivering water into the condensing chamber and means in the condensing chamber for intimately mingling the inflowing water with the steam entering the condensing chamber from the steam chamber.

4. A water heater comprising a casing having a steam chamber therein provided with a drain outlet and a steam inlet, said heater having a condensing chamber associated with the steam chamber and provided with an inlet for steam from the steam chamber into the condensing chamber, said heater having a water storage chamber partially surrounding the steam chamber, a discharge line leading from the storage chamber, an overflow pipe leading from the condensing chamber, a channel connecting the conoutlets and having an inlet for steam, said heater 3;

having a condensing chamber associated with the steam chamber and provided with an' inlet for steam leading from the steam chamber, said condensing chamber having a steam outlet, said heater having a water storage chamber adjacent Y the steam chamber provided with a drain line and a water discharge line leading therefrom, an overflow pipe for the condensing chamber, a vertical channel connecting the condensing chamber with the storage chamber, a valve con- 39 trolled drain line communicating with said channel, means for delivering water into the condensing chamber and means in the condensing chamber for intimately mingling the inflowing Water with the steam entering the condensing chamber from the steam chamber.

6. A water heater comprising a casing having a condensing chamber, a steam chamber associated with the condensing chamber and having an outlet for steam into the condensing chamber, said heater having a water storage chamber beneath the steam chamber, a steam pipe entering the steam chamber, a tier of trays in the condensing chamber, an elongated nozzle for spraying water over the trays, said heater having a channel for conducting water from the condensing chamber into the storage chamber and a water delivery line leading from the storage chamber.

EDWARD W. BAN'NON. 

